Check out the week's new releases in our latest installment of... TV on DVD!
Show: “United States of Tara: The First Season” (CBS/Paramount)
Format: DVD
What is it? When it was announced that “Juno” screenwriter Diablo Cody was involved with a TV show, people figured it would like watching “Juno” every week. Which, depending on how you felt about that film, was either heaven or hell on Earth. But “Tara” isn't “Juno,” it doesn't have the impossibly perfect dialogue filled with just the right amount a swarm and pop culture references. Which means all the people hoping for “Juno Redux” are the ones in hell while those who thought “Juno” was too perfect, too precious, might actually enjoy this show, in which the too-talented Toni Collette plays a suburban housewife with disassociate identity disorder that gives her three other very distinct personalities. “Tara” isn't the laughfest that “Juno” was (though it's not as dark as Cody's memoir about her stint as a stripper, either), but it is as well written and interesting, and as rooted in reality, which makes for good watching every week—regardless of how you feel about whatshername.
Number of discs/episodes: 3 discs/12 episodes.
Extras: “Meet Toni Collette” featurette; “Sitting Down With Diablo Cody” featurette; an episode of “The Tudors.”
Price: $46.99.
Buy, borrow or ignore: Borrow.
Show: “Glee: Season 1: Road to Sectionals” (Fox)
Format: DVD
What is it? Twenty-five years after the nerds got their revenge, it's time for drama geeks to stand up and be counted (and time for hardcore gamers to finish “World of Warcraft” so they can plan for their vengeance in 2034...). Much like in that classic comedy, though (and their brethren mathletes in “The Big Bang Theory”), the glee club kids in this dramedy take it as good as they get it, and are willing to play off stereotypes while also debunking them. Which is why, after you watch an episode or two of this show—especially if you pay attention during the scenes stolen by the acerbic but hilarious Jane Lynch—it becomes a lot less odd that its driving force is Ryan Murphy, who previously created the far darker, but still somewhat comedic, “Nip/Tuck.”
Number of discs/episodes: 4 disc/14 episodes.
Extras: The director's cut of the first episode; audition videos; behind-the-scenes footage.
Price: $39.98.
Buy, borrow or ignore: Borrow.
Show: “Spaceballs: The Totally Warped Animated Adventures!” (Fox)
Format: DVD
What is it? Considering it was a parody of “Star Wars” and other sci-fi movies, it seems kind of odd that they'd turn Mel Brook's 1987 movie “Spaceballs” into a TV show. And an animated one at that. Though what was odder was that Brooks was in on it, writing as well as voicing his characters Yogurt and President Skroob, while his cinematic costars Joan Rivers and Daphne Zuniga also reprised their roles. Despite the reunion, though, this show just never jelled, and was never as funny as the movie. And the movie isn't one of Brook's better ones to begin with. The animation was just OK, while the scripts could've used more, well, Brooks. In fact, he was kind of the highlight here, which makes us wonder what it would be like if he re-teamed with Cleavon Little and Gene Wilder for an animated “Blazing Saddles” 'toon. Still, if you have “Spaceballs” in your DVD collection, you should check this out as well.
Number of discs/episodes: 1 disc/4 episodes.
Extras: Intermissions between each episode; “And That's Not All”; “One More Goodie.”
Price: $19.98.
Buy, borrow or ignore: Borrow.
Other TV DVDs out this week:
“Emily Of New Moon: The Complete Second Season” (Echo Bridge)
“Time Warp: Season 2” (Gaiam Americas)
“Whale Wars: Season 2” (Gaiam Americas)
(Actual releases may differ; Metromix is not responsible for injury, loss of life, or wasted time if you go to the store to buy one of them and the clerk says, “Uh, no, that’s not coming out until next week.”)
